The present invention generally relates to multi-function image forming devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combination computer printing and copying device which includes an automatic job interrupt for copying.
In the current document production environment, there is a continuing convergence of copier and printer capabilities. On the copier side, digital copiers led to the inclusion of personal computer interfaces to allow the copiers to print electronic documents generated by an outside source such as a personal computer. On the personal computer printer side, digital scanner technology and more efficient electronic image processing and storage led printers to include copying capabilities. Unfortunately, neither single device can simultaneously handle both copying and printing as both functions are competing for the same hardware resources. Additionally, some copying features conflict with some printer features, and visa versa.
Typically, these types of devices are network printers serving a large number of network users. It is not uncommon at all for a user wanting to make a copy to walk up to the machine to find a large print job in process and several jobs in the queue, with no way to even identify the individual who sent the print job to request a pause or termination of the job. If the copier user proceeds to terminate the job, the printing user will not find out until sometime later that his print job was never completed.
To date, all combination devices require user intervention to interrupt the current copy or print job by depressing a control button on the device to pause the current job and pressing one or more control buttons to initiate a higher priority copy job.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,031 teaches a document copier which includes a copy job interrupt key for ceasing a first copy job at a point from which copying can be resumed later, storing the copy parameters to finish the first copy job later, starting a second copy job and finishing the first copy job upon completion of the second copy job. An interrupting user depresses the xe2x80x9cI/Rxe2x80x9d key to stop the current job, enters in the desired number of copies, if greater than one, and depresses the xe2x80x9ccopyxe2x80x9d key to commence the second job. Upon completion of the second job, the first copy job parameters are retrieved from memory and the first job is completed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,439 teaches a document copier having multiple document feeders and allowing a user to select between the feeders during the copy process to suspend one job in favor of another. The copy parameters of both jobs are analyzed to decide whether to suspend one job in favor of another. To commence a second copy job, a user must depress the suspending/commencing mode button and enter in the copy parameters of the second job. Copying of the first job continues until the second parameters are entered and the document sensor in the second feeder indicates that the second document is present. Once both of these conditions are met, the copier compares the first jobs status and copy parameters to the parameters of the second job to determine whether to suspend the first in favor of the second. Once either job is completed the other is then finished.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,697 teaches a simple document copier having an interrupt button to interrupt a current multi-page copy job after the current page is finished, allow a second job to be processed and return to the first job, after a preset elapsed time period, upon finishing the second job.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,706 teaches a combination personal computer, printer and document copier which includes a copy interrupt or stop command entered at the control panel or the computer keyboard. No provision is made for automatic resumption of an interrupted job, nor automatic detection of a priority copy job.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,990 teaches a printer having a controlled interrupt feature which continues to accept print data until the current page is completed or the memory is full, thereby allowing a minor printer error to be corrected without causing job failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,345 teaches a queue management system for a combination print, copy and facsimile machine. The queue management system prioritizes the printing of jobs on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis, a fax job hold basis in which only copy and print jobs are printed, or on a fax priority basis releasing all held fax jobs for printing. The queue management system does not deal with multi-page jobs on an individual page basis, only on a job basis. Hence, if a job is interrupted or stopped, the current page is finished and the remainder of the job is deleted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,842 teaches a high end document copier which includes a job interrupt to allow copying of a xe2x80x9cproofxe2x80x9d job prior to final copying. This is desirable copy if settings need to be adjusted prior to copying a large number of copies such as a book. The copier inserts the proof job into the output image queue at the earliest convenient spot ahead of all other non-proof copy jobs and before the next set in the current copy job. All jobs are electronic images of their hard copy counterparts, stored in memory.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,735 is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,842. The ""735 patent teaches a high end document copier which includes a job interrupt to allow copying of a priority job prior to finishing the other jobs in the queue. The copier inserts the priority job into the output image queue at the earliest convenient spot ahead of all other standard copy jobs and before the next set in the current copy job. All jobs are electronic images of their hard copy counterparts, stored in memory.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,134 teaches a multi-functional document processing system for copying, printing, scanning and faxing of documents. This patent does not teach any job interrupt or prioritizing capabilities.
What is needed is a combination copier and printer which automatically detects the insertion of a document into the document feeder or upon the copying platform, interrupts the current job at the first possible resumption point, stores the current job status and parameters, places the device in copy ready mode, allows copying and resumes the original job upon completion of the interrupt copy job.
One embodiment of the invention satisfies the forgoing need by a combination printer/copier which utilizes the page sensor in the document feeder and/or the lid to trigger an interrupt sequence. The interrupt sequence may begin by displaying the current job status on a display such as the printer control panel to provide user feedback such as the number of pages remaining in the current job, approximate time left, etc. thereby allowing the user to cancel the interrupt job or simply wait until it is finished. Next, the interrupt sequence queries the user, for example through the display on the control panel, for the interrupt copy job parameters. Once these parameters are entered or the user accepts the default settings and initiates the interrupt copy job, the interrupt sequence compares the interrupt copy parameters with the current job status and current job parameters to evaluate the current job for a possible stopping point, that is to say a point from which the current job can be resumed. If possible, the current job is then stopped at this point and the current job status, as well as print parameters, are stored for retrieval after the interrupt job is completed. At this point, additional feedback may be provided to the user to eliminate a conflict such as clearing an output tray to prevent mixing of two jobs or changing the media supply source. The interrupt sequence may also allow the user to cancel the interrupt job at this point or simply automatically cancel the interrupt job and continue with the current job if the conflict prevents automatic resumption of the current job. Assuming that there is no conflict or that the conflict has been remedied, the interrupt job is then processed. Once the interrupt job is completed, the prior job status and print parameters are retrieved and the interrupted job is resumed.